Initiate's Trial

by Janny Wurts

  pronounced: math-orn

  root meaning: mathien – massive

  MEIGLIN s’DIENEVAL—the legitimate daughter born to the widow of Egan s’Dieneval in Third Age 5019, just after his death in the slaughter of the

  rebellion. Heart’s love of the last High King of Shand for one night, just prior to his death while fighting the Mistwraith. A weaving by the Biedar of Sanpashir, done at the behest of the last centaur guardian, ensured the union would bring conception, and the birth of Dari’s’Ahelas. Also named Anshlien’ya in desert dialect, as the dawn of hope.

  pronounced: mee-glin s-dee-in-ee-vahl

  root meaning: meiglin – passion; dien – large; eval – endowment, gifted talent

  MINDERL BAY—body of water inside of Crescent Isle, off the eastshore of Rathain.

  pronounced: mind-earl

  root meaning: minderl – anvil

  MIRALT HEAD—point of land on the north coast of Camris, Tysan, with a port town by the same name.

  pronounced: meer-alt

  root meaning: m’ier – shore; alt – last

  MISTWRAITH—see Desh-thiere.

  MORVAIN—city located in the principality of Araethura, Rathain, on the west coast of Instrell Bay. Elaira’s birthplace.

  pronounced: mor-vain

  root meaning: morvain – swindler’s market

  NARMS—city on the coast of Instrell Bay, built as a craft centre by Men in the early Third Age. Best known for dye works.

  pronounced: narms

  root meaning: narms – colour

  NORTHSTRAIT—narrow passage from the Westland Sea into the Gulf of Stormwell, located in the northwest corner of Tysan.

  ONYA—a townswoman of Kelsing.

  pronounced: on-ya

  not from the Paravian

  ORLAN—pass in the Thaldein Mountains in Tysan where the clan seat has a hidden outpost.

  pronounced: or-lan

  root meaning: irlan – ledge

  OSTERMERE—coastal town in Carithwyr, Havish, once a smuggler’s haven.

  pronounced: os-tur-meer

  root meaning: ostier – crumbled; dir – stone

  PAOLIN—crofter’s child who died of summer fever, son of Saffie, brother of Chan (also deceased), and nephew of Tarens and Kerelie.

  pronounced: pay-oh-lin

  not from the Paravian

  PARAVIA—name for the continent inhabited by the Paravians, and locale of the Five Kingdoms.

  pronounced: par-ay-vee-ah

  root meaning: para – great; i’a – suffix denoting entityship, and raised to the feminine aspect, which translates as ‘place inclusive of, or holding the aspect for greatness’

  PARAVIAN—name for the three old races that inhabited Athera before Mankind. Including the centaurs, the sunchildren, and the unicorns, these races never die unless mishap befalls them; they are the world’s channel, or direct connection, to Ath Creator.

  pronounced: par-ai-vee-ans

  root meaning: para – great; i’on – fate or great mystery

  PENSTAIR—Second Age ruin on the north shore of Deshir, Rathain.

  pronounced: pen-stair

  root meaning: pensti’era – watch point, place for beacon fires

  PRANDEY—Shandian term for gelded pleasure boy.

  pronounced: prandee

  not from the Paravian

  RATHAIN—one of the Five High Kingdoms of Athera, ruled by descendants of Torbrand s’Ffalenn since Third Age Year One. Device: black-and-silver leopard on green field. Arithon Teir’s’Ffalenn is sanctioned crown prince, by the hand of Asandir of the Fellowship, in Third Age Year 5638 at Etarra.

  pronounced: rath-ayn

  root meaning: roth – brother; thein – tower, sanctuary

  REDBURN—town located in a deep inlet in the northern shore of Rockbay Harbour in Havistock, Havish.

  pronounced: red-burn

  root meaning not from the Paravian

  REIYAJ SEERESS—title for the Seeress sequestered in a tower in Shand, near Ithish. Her oracular visions derive from meditative communion with the energy gateway marked and measured by Athera’s sun. Born sighted, but practice of her art brings blindness. The origin of her tradition derives from the mystical practices of the Biedar tribe in the Sanpashir desert.

  pronounced: ree-yahj

  root meaning: ria’ieajn – to touch the forbidden

  RIATHAN PARAVIANS—unicorns, the purest, most direct connection to Ath Creator; the prime vibration channels directly through the horn.

  pronounced: ree-ah-than

  root meaning: ria – to touch; ath – prime life-force; an – one; ri’athon – one who touches divinity

  ROCKBAY HARBOUR—body of water located on the southcoast, between Shand and West Shand.

  ROCKFELL PEAK—mountain containing Rockfell Pit, used to imprison harmful entities throughout all three Ages. Located in West Halla, Melhalla; became the warded prison for Desh-thiere.

  pronounced: rock-fell

  root meaning not from the Paravian

  ROCKFELL PIT—shaft built by the Sorcerer Davien in Rockfell Peak to contain harmful entities; currently sequesters the Mistwraith, Desh-thiere.

  SAFFIE—deceased croft mistress from Kelsing, wife of Fiath, aunt of Efflin, Tarens, and Kerelie, mother of Paolin and Chan.

  pronounced: saf-ee

  not from the Paravian

  s’AHELAS—family name for the royal line appointed by the Fellowship Sorcerers in Third Age Year One to rule the High Kingdom of Shand. Gifted geas: far-sight. Also the lineage that carries the latent potential for the rogue talent for far-sight and prophecy, introduced when the caithdein’s lineage of s’Dieneval became crossed with the royal line in Third Age 5036, resulting in Dari’s birth in winter, 5037.

  pronounced: s’ah-hell-as

  root meaning: ahelas – mage-gifted

  SANPASHIR—desert waste on the southcoast of Shand. Home to the desert tribes called Biedar.

  pronounced: sahn-pash-eer

  root meaning: san – black or dark; pash’era – place of grit or gravel

  SANSHEVAS—town on the south shore in Alland, Shand, known for citrus, sugar, and rum.

  pronounced: san-shee-vas

  root meaning: san – black; shievas – flint

  s’CRIADIEN—an older, outbred clan lineage arisen from past liaison between Torwent fishermen and Caithwood’s clan blood-lines.

  pronounced: cree-ah-dee-en

  root meaning: cor’ia’dreien – a shipmate or shipping partner

  SCARPDALE—waste in Lanshire, Havish, created by a First Age war with Seardluin. Once the site of the Scarpdale grimward, banished by Seshkrozchiel in Third Age Year 5671.

  pronounced: scarp-dale

  not from the Paravian

  s’DIENEVAL—lost lineage of the caithdeinen of Melhalla, the last to carry the title being Egan, who died at the side of his High King in the battle to subdue the Mistwraith. The blood-line carried strong talent for prophecy, and was slaughtered during the sack of Tirans in the uprising in Third Age Year 5018, with Egan’s pregnant wife the sole survivor. Her daughter, Meiglin, was mother of Dari s’Ahelas, crown heir of Shand.

  pronounced: s-dee-in-ee-vahl

  root meaning: dien – large; eval – endowment, gifted talent

  SECOND AGE—Marked by the arrival of the Fellowship of Seven at Crater Lake, their called purpose to fight the drake spawn.

  SELIDIE—young woman initiate appointed by Morriel Prime as a candidate in training for succession. Succeeded to the office of Prime Matriarch after Morriel’s death on winter solstice in Third Age Year 5670, at which time an unprincipled act of possession by Morriel usurped the young woman’s body.

  pronounced: sell-ih-dee

  root meaning: selyadi – air sprite

  SELKWOOD—forest located in Alland, Shand.

  pronounced: selk-wood

  root meaning: selk – pattern

  SESHKROZCHIEL—name for the female dragon who was
mated to Haspastion. Forged a bargain with Davien, who borrowed on her powers while she was in hibernation in exchange for his term of service, for however long she required it. Her wakening in Third Age Year 5671 incurred the debt, still on-going.

  pronounced: sesh-crows-chee-ell

  root meaning: seshkrozchiel – Drakish for blue lightning

  SETHVIR—Sorcerer of the Fellowship of Seven, also trained to serve as Warden of Althain since Third Age 5100, when the last centaur guardian departed after the Mistwraith’s conquest.

  pronounced: seth-veer

  root meaning: seth – fact; vaer – keep

  s’FFALENN—family name for the royal line appointed by the Fellowship Sorcerers in Third Age Year One to rule the High Kingdom of Rathain. Gifted geas: compassion/empathy.

  pronounced: s-fal-en

  root meaning: ffael – dark; an – one

  s’GANNLEY—lineage of the Earls of the West, once the Camris princes, now bearing the heritage of Caithdein of Tysan. Iamine s’Gannley was the woman founder.

  pronounced: sgan-lee

  root meaning: gaen – guide; li – exalted or in harmony

  SHAMSIN—a dedicate lancer in the True Sect Guard stationed at Kelsing.

  pronounced: sham-sin

  not from the Paravian

  SHAND—one of the Five High Kingdoms of Athera, located on the south-east corner of the Paravian continent, originally ruled by the line of s’Ahelas. Current device: purple-and-gold chevrons, since the adjunct kingdom of West Shand came under high crown rule. The old device was a falcon on a crescent moon, sometimes still displayed, depicted against the more recent purple-and-gold chevrons.

  pronounced: shand – as in ‘hand’

  root meaning: shayn or shiand – two/pair

  SIANTRA s’IDIR—clanborn daughter of Laithen s’Idir, of Sidir’s lineage.

  pronounced: see-an-tra see-deer

  root meaning: sian – spark; tier – to hold fast; a – feminine diminutive

  SIDIR—one of the Companions, who were the fourteen boys to survive the massacre at Tal Quorin in 5638. Served Arithon at the Battle of Dier Kenton Vale the Havens in 5647, and at the siege of Alestron in 5671. Second in command of Earl Jieret’s war band. Married Jieret’s widow, Feithan, in 5672.

  pronounced: see-deer

  root meaning: i’sid’i’er – one who has stood at the verge of being lost.

  s’IDIR—lineage of Sidir. His descendants derive from a youthful liaison with a clanswoman in Fallowmere.

  pronounced: see-deer

  root meaning: i’sid’i’er – one who has stood at the verge of being lost.

  SILBERNE—river that runs southward from Tornir Peaks and empties into Mainmere Bay, Tysan.

  pronounced: syl-burn

  root meaning: shiel – tears; biern – memorial

  s’ILESSID—family name for the royal line appointed by the Fellowship Sorcerers in Third Age Year One to rule the High Kingdom of Tysan. Gifted geas: justice.

  pronounced: s-ill-ess-id

  root meaning: liessiad – balance

  SITHAER—mythological equivalent of hell, halls of Dharkaron Avenger’s judgement; according to Ath’s adepts, that state of being where the prime vibration is not recognized.

  pronounced: sith-air

  root meaning: sid – lost; thiere – wraith/spirit

  SKYRON FOCUS—large aquamarine focus stone, used by the Koriani Senior Circle for their major magic after the loss of the Great Waystone during the rebellion.

  pronounced: sky-run

  root meaning: skyron – colloquialism for shackle; s’kyr’i’on – literally ‘sorrowful fate’

  SKYSHIELS—mountain range that runs north and south along the eastern coast of Rathain.

  pronounced: sky-shee-ells

  root meaning: skyshia – to pierce through; iel – ray

  s’LORNMEIN—royal lineage of Havish, founded by Bwin Evoc in First Age Year One. Gifted geas: temperance.

  pronounced: slorn-main

  root meaning: liernmein – to centre, restrain, bring into balance.

  SOUTHSHIRE—town on the southcoast of Alland, Shand, known for shipbuilding.

  pronounced: south-shire

  not from the Paravian

  SOUTH STRAIT—body of water and passage from Rockbay Harbour into South Sea.

  STORLAINS—mountains dividing the Kingdom of Havish.

  pronounced: store-lanes

  root meaning: storlient – largest summit, highest divide

  SULFIN EVEND—son of the Mayor of Hanshire who held the post of Alliance Lord Commander under Lysaer s’Ilessid. Spared Lysaer from his dark binding to the Kralovir necromancers, and in the course of that awakened the talent of his outbred clan lineage: of s’Gannley descent, through Diarin s’Gannley, who was abducted and forced to marry his great grandsire. Bound to the land in Third Age 5670 when he swore a caithdein’s oath at Althain Tower as part of his bargain with Enithen Tuer, who in turn imparted the ceremonial knowledge and the Biedar knife used to sever the etheric cords the cult used to enslave victims. Named the Heretic Betrayer by the True Sect in the belief he corrupted the avatar, Lysaer. Ancestor of Daliana sen Evend.

  pronounced: sool-finn ev-end

  root meaning: suilfinn eiavend – colloquialism, diamond mind ‘one who is persistent’

  SUNCHILDREN—common name for Athlien Paravians, see entry.

  SUNWHEEL—heraldic symbol adopted by the religion of Light, and the device of the True Sect.

  s’VALERIENT—family name for the Earls of the North, regents and caithdeinen for the High Kings of Rathain.

  pronounced: val-er-ee-ent

  root meaning: val – straight; erient – spear

  TAERLIN—southeastern principality of Tysan, also a lake in the southern spur of Tornir Peaks.

  pronounced: tay-er-lin

  root meaning: taer – calm; lien – to love

  TAFE ALEMAN—innkeeper in Kelsing, Tysan known to give work to destitutes.

  pronounced: tayf

  not from the Paravian

  TAL QUORIN—river formed by the confluence of watershed on the southern side of Strakewood, principality of Deshir, Rathain, where traps were laid for Etarra’s army in the battle of Strakewood Forest, and where the rape and massacre of Deshir’s clanwomen and children occurred under Lysaer and head-hunters under Pesquil’s command in Third Age Year 5638.

  pronounced: tal quar-in

  root meaning: tal – branch; quorin – canyons

  TALITH—Etarran princess; former wife of Lysaer s’Ilessid, estranged from him and incarcerated on charges of consorting with the Master of Shadow. Eventually murdered by a conspiracy of Avenor’s crown council, when an arranged accident caused her fall from Avenor’s tower of state in Third Age 5653.

  pronounced: tal-ith – to rhyme with ‘gal with’

  root meaning: tal – branch; lith – to keep/nurture

  TALLA s’CRIADIEN—a countrywoman healed by Asandir.

  pronounced: ta-la

  root meaning: tal – branch; a – feminine diminutive; cor’ia’dreien – a shipmate or shipping partner

  TARENS—town-born crofter from Kelsing, brother of Efflin and Kerelie, nephew of Saffie and Fiath, uncle to Paolin and Chan.

  pronounced: tar-ens

  root meaning: tirans – tier’ain - protect

  TEIR—masculine form of a title fixed to a name denoting heirship.

  pronounced: tayer

  root meaning: teir’s – successor to power

  TEIREN—feminine form of Teir.

  pronounced: tear

  root meaning: teiren – female successor to power

  TEIRIENT—queen.

  pronounced: tear-ee-ent

  root meaning: tierient – female successor to power in the emphatic form

  TEIR’II’DAEL—Paravian title given to a Fellowship-sanctioned crown prince.

  pronounced: tay-er ee’eh die-el

  root meaning: teir�
�ii’dael – the emphatic form of colloquial ‘successor to power’

  TELIR—a rare fruit once cultivated by Paravians that made fine brandy.

  pronounced: tell-leer

  root meaning: telir – sweet

  TELMANDIR—seat of the High Kings of Havish in Lithmere, Havish. Ruined during the uprising in Third Age Year 5018, rebuilt by High King Eldir s’Lornmein after his coronation in Third Age Year 5643.

  pronounced: tel-man-deer

  root meaning: telman’en – leaning; dir – rock

  TEYLIA—bastard daughter of Arithon Teir’s’Ffalenn and Glendien, widow of Kyrialt, born in Third Age Year 5672, sworn into the Order of the Koriathain by her own will at three years of age.

  pronounced: tay-lee-ah

  root meaning: tien – dream; lie – note struck in harmony; a – female diminutive

  THALDEIN—mountain range that borders Camris in Tysan, site of the Camris clans west outpost.

  pronounced: thall-dayn

  root meaning: thal – head; dein – bird

  TIENELLE—high-altitude herb valued by mages for its mind-expanding properties. Highly toxic. No antidote. The leaves, dried and smoked, are most potent. To weaken its powerful side effects and allow safer access to its vision, Koriani enchantresses boil the flowers, then soak tobacco leaves with the brew.

  pronounced: tee-an-ell-e (last ‘e’ mostly subliminal)

  root meaning: tien – dream; iel – light/ray

  TORBRAND s’FFALENN—founder of the s’Ffalenn line appointed by the Fellowship of Seven to rule the High Kingdom of Rathain in Third Age Year One.

  pronounced: tor-brand

  root meaning: tor – sharp, keen; brand – temper

  TORNIR PEAKS—mountain range on western border in Camris, Tysan. Northern half is actively volcanic, and there the last surviving packs of Khadrim are kept under ward.

  pronounced: tor-neer

  root meaning: tor – sharp, keen; nier – tooth

  TORWENT—fishing town and smuggler’s haven located on the coast of Lanshire, Havish, just south of the border. Descendants of many outbred clan lineages live there since the exodus to escape persecution under Lysaer s’Ilessid the pretender in Third Age Year 5653.

  pronounced: tore-went

  root meaning: tor – sharp; wient – bend

  TRAITHE—Sorcerer of the Fellowship of Seven. Solely responsible for the closing of South Gate to deny further entry to the Mistwraith. Traithe lost most of his faculties in the process and was left with a limp. Since it is not known whether he can make the transfer into discorporate existence with his powers impaired, he has retained his physical body.